Obama Congratulates Afghanistan’s 'Legitimate' – If Not 'Credible' --- President

[IndianaGreen]

Source: ABC News

After "Messy" Process, President Obama Congratulates Afghanistan’s “Legitimate” – If Not “Credible” --- President

November 02, 2009 3:42 PM

ABC News' Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller report:

President Obama telephoned Hamid Karzai at roughly 1:45 pm ET this afternoon, delivering to him the best wishes of the United States for a second presidential term after an election fraught with corruption and accusations of illegitimacy.

“I congratulated him on his election for a second term as president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” Mr. Obama told reporters as he sat in the Oval Office next to the prime minister of Sweden. “You know, although the process was messy, I’m pleased to say that the final outcome was determined in accordance with Afghan law.”

For weeks the Obama administration insisted that if the independent body investigating election fraud ultimately concluded that Karzai had received less than 50% of the vote, Karazi and his top challenger Dr. Abdullah Abdullah would need to either enter into an election run-off or some form of unity government.

At the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh on September 25, President Obama said “allegations of fraud in the recent election (in Afghanistan) are of concern to us” and he declared that “what's most important is that there's a sense of legitimacy in Afghanistan among the Afghan people for their government."

Today the White House was asked if there is a sense of legitimacy in Afghanistan among the Afghan people for the Karzai government.

“I have no reason to believe there's not,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said.

Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/11/after-messy-process-president-obama-congratulates-afghanistans-legitimate-if-not-credible-president.html

---

I am having flashbacks to the Johnson White House and our embrace of such gems as Thieu and Ky.

[ixion]

1. Obama Epic Fail

Seriously.

[bemildred]

2. So much for "nation building". nt

[IndianaGreen]

3. The view from across the pond about Karzai

Our man in Kabul: Karzai installed as Afghan president

Monday 02 November 2009
by Paddy McGuffin

An international scramble to congratulate Hamid Karzai on his "re-election" as Afghan president has demolished western claims that the war was about bringing democracy, anti-war campaigners have said.

Mr Karzai was officially declared the victor in an election in which he was the only candidate yesterday after his sole challenger Dr Abdullah Abdullah pulled out of the race.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown joined the unseemly throng to congratulate Mr Karzai on his re-election, backing the cancellation of the second round run-off.

"The government welcomes the decision by the Independent Electoral Commission," a No 10 spokesman said.

"The Prime Minister has spoken to President Karzai to congratulate him on his re-election. They discussed the importance of the president moving quickly to set out a unifying programme for the future of Afghanistan."

Lindsey German of Stop the War Coalition was scornful of the result and the welcome it received. She said: "It is absolutely farcical. It was a fraudulent election first time round and this time it is pure farce.

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/britain/Our-man-in-Kabul-Karzai-installed-as-Afghan-president

[bemildred]

4. This is all drama.

The show must go on.

"It is absolutely farcical. It was a fraudulent election first time round and this time it is pure farce."

Politics is show biz.

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. Did we find out why Abdullah "pulled out" of the race?

Ah, nation building...the game goes on.

[idrahaje]

18. Probably the same way the Republican in NY pulled out

forced out.

Fortunately the one in Iran is alot stronger.

[CHIMO]

5. May I Add My Congrats

Democracy has won.
Free enterprise rules.

NATO is finished with its excurision.

The US can now declare victory and leave.

[Vidar]

6. I didn't think it was possible for the White House to mess up worse

than they have on Health Care reform. Obviously, I was wrong.

[ChicagoSuz219]

19. You're not seriously blaming this on Obama... nt

[earthside]

7. I feel sick. n/t

[placton]

8. now now

this sounds like a criticism of Obama - let's all unrecc it - or just have a nice glass of ice tea - nothing we can do about it

[alarimer]

9. Gee, I suppose it never occurred to Obama to question WHY the other guy dropped out?

Like maybe he or his family was threatened by Karzai's thugs?

[BunkerHill24]

10. Gee! Obama administration must find consistence on their foreign policy

This Obama administration is truly becoming unexpected hoopla-dancing team. I gather they are willing to forgo a second term with this shit type of dancing-with-the-stars foreign policy!

[Alamuti Lotus]

11. Hurray!--"business as usual" triumphs again... ugh.

[ozone_man]

12. Congratulations?! How about launching an investigation

into election fraud? Obama keeps disappointing. Goldman Sachs, $1.4T deficit, health care ... The list seems never ending.

[BunkerHill24]

14. Obama is never disappointing......

You, Sir/Madam, must have not received the memo :sarcasm:

[dhpgetsit]

15. Groan...

We can't back another illegitimate government.
Get us the fuck out!

[Bragi]

16. A breath of fresh air

[ShortnFiery]

17. Shameful ... Karzai is NOT unlike the dead old coot known as "The Shah of Iran" = THUGGERY.

[IndianaGreen]

20. The Karzai narco regime has a dismal record when it comes to women's rights, as bad as Taliban

Karzai Passes Law Diminishing Women's Rights

EXCERPT: "Afghanistan has quietly passed a law permitting Shia men to deny their wives food and sustenance if they refuse to obey their husbands' sexual demands, despite international outrage over an earlier version of the legislation which President Hamid Karzai had promised to review. The new final draft of the legislation also grants guardianship of children exclusively to their fathers and grandfathers, and requires women to get permission from their husbands to work. 'It also effectively allows a rapist to avoid prosecution by paying 'blood money' to a girl who was injured when he raped her,' the US charity Human Rights Watch said. In early April, Barack Obama and Gordon Brown joined an international chorus of condemnation when the Guardian revealed that the earlier version of the law legalised rape within marriage, according to the UN. Although Karzai appeared to back down, activists say the revised version of the law still contains repressive measures and contradicts the Afghan constitution and international treaties signed by the country."

http://www.afghanconflictmonitor.org/2009/08/karzai-passes-law-diminishing-womens-rights.html